Mid-term results after endovascular repair of the atherosclerotic descending thoracic aortic aneurysm.

INTRODUCTION: Thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAA) are the most common condition of the thoracic aorta requiring surgical treatment. Despite significant improvement in anesthetic, surgical techniques and postoperative care, the mortality and morbidity rate in TAA-repair remains high. The aim of this study was to assess the morbidity and mortality rate after endovascular stent-graft treatment of atherosclerotic (non-dissecting) TAAs. METHODS: Thirty-one patients, ASA-classification III-IV, with symptomatic or expanding atherosclerotic TAAs underwent endovascular stent-graft repair between May 1997 and August 2003. Procedures were performed on an emergency basis in 13 patients and elective in 18 patients. Patients were assessed postoperatively by routine CT-scan within 48 h. Further follow up investigations were performed after 3, 6, 12 months and annually thereafter. RESULTS: Stent-graft placement was successful in all but one patient in whom the stent-graft procedure had to be postponed due severe hemodynamic instability. Perioperative mortality rate was 19% including three haemorrhages, two cardiac events and one respiratory failure (6/31). Technical success rate was 55% (17/31). Completion CT scans performed in 30 patients within 2 days of stent-graft procedure showed type I leaks in seven patients (23%), type II leaks in four patients (13%) and type III leaks in two patients (6%). Further complications included one stroke, one paralysis, one spinalis anterior syndrome and five relevant access related complications. New onset endoleaks, all type I, were observed in seven patients (23%) occurring after 3, 4, 7, 8, 17, 25 and 26 months. Mean follow-up was 15 months (range 2-69 months). CONCLUSION: Thoracic aortic atherosclerotic aneurysm stent-grafting is feasible but not without significant morbidity and mortality.

Stent-graft repair for acute traumatic thoracic aortic rupture.

Traumatic rupture of the thoracic aorta is potentially life-threatening and leads to death in 75 to 90 per cent of cases at the time of injury. In high-risk patients, as traumatic injuries of the aorta combine with multiple associated injuries, endoluminal repair is now reported as a promising therapeutic strategy with encouraging results. This study determined the outcome of patients with traumatic thoracic aortic injury treated endovascularly during the past 7 years at our institution. Thirteen patients, 11 males and 2 females (mean age, 39 years; range, 19-82), with traumatic rupture of the otherwise unremarkable descending aorta (10 acute, 3 chronic), out of a series of 64 endovascular thoracic stent-graft procedures, were treated by implantation of Talent (n = 8), Vanguard (n = 5), and Excluder (n = 2) self-expanding devices between January 1996 and August 2003. The immediate technical success rate was 92 per cent (12/13). One patient showed a proximal endoleak type I, which was treated successfully by an additional stent-graft procedure. Secondary success rate was 100 per cent. The mortality rate was 0 per cent. Two additional stent-graft procedures were performed due to type I endoleaks after 18 and 28 months. There was no other intervention-related morbidity or mortality during the mean follow-up time of 26.4 months' (range, 6-86). Endovascular stent-graft repair of traumatic thoracic aortic injuries is a safe, effective, and low-morbidity alternative to open thoracic surgery and has promising midterm results.

Kissing stents for treatment of complex aortoiliac disease.

OBJECTIVES: to determine medium term technical and clinical success of kissing stents for aortoiliac occlusive disease. DESIGN: retrospective study. SUBJECTS: twenty-five patients presenting with intermittent claudication (IC) or critical limb ischaemia (CLI) due to aortoiliac disease (41 complex stenoses, 8 occlusions). METHODS: balloon- or self-expanding kissing stents, with or without predilatation depending upon the nature of the disease, were inserted via bilateral retrograde femoral artery punctures. Clinical examination, ABPI, exercise testing and duplex ultrasound were performed at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, and then annually. RESULTS: technical success was achieved in 86% segments. All patients with CLI improved and 6 of 7 ulcerated limbs showed complete healing. During follow-up, 7 patients died and two patients required major amputation at 7 and 8 months. The primary assisted patency rate was 94, 91 and 65% at 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: despite acceptable short-term technical and clinical success, as the medium term patency rates are clearly inferior to those of bypass surgery, the kissing stent technique should be reserved for high risk patients with a limited life expectancy.

Traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the brachiocephalic artery following medianoscopy: initial endovascular repair followed by open surgery--a case report.

Endovascular stent graft repair of traumatic vessel injuries is gaining worldwide acceptance as a minimally invasive alternative to open surgical repair. However, effective endovascular repair fails if the aneurysm is not completely excluded. Conversion to open surgery may be unavoidable in such cases. Herein we describe the case of a 45-year-old man who was referred to our hospital with a pseudoaneurysm of the proximal brachiocephalic artery caused by biopsy during diagnostic medianoscopy. The pseudoaneurysm was primarily treated by stent-graft implantation into the proximal brachiocephalic artery. As a result of the unfavorable location of the lesion exclusion of the aneurysm failed and the initial therapy had to be extended to open reconstruction of the brachiocephalic artery. A bypass procedure from the aortic arch to the right common carotid artery was performed with reinsertion of the right subclavian artery to exclude the pseudoaneurysm.

Clinical and objective data on spinal cord stimulation for the treatment of severe Raynaud's phenomenon.

Ischemic vascular disease of the upper extremity represents a difficult therapeutic problem wherein medical treatment often fails. Epidural spinal cord stimulation has been shown to be an effective alternative in severe peripheral arterial disease. Although this method has been used for nearly two decades only limited experience exists in Raynaud's phenomenon of the upper limbs. In addition objective parameters to prove therapeutic success are not well defined. Herein we describe a patient with severe primary Raynaud's phenomenon over several years who had significant pain relief and complete healing of ischemic digital ulcerations after spinal cord stimulation. Pain level was evaluated using a visual rating scale before and after surgery. Microcirculatory parameters were assessed before and after spinal cord stimulation by capillary microscopy and laser Doppler anemometry. Significant improvement of red blood cell velocity, capillary density, and capillary permeability was demonstrated. At follow-up 18 months after surgery the patient had no complaints and all ulcerations of her fingertips had healed. Spinal cord stimulation appears to be an effective treatment in severe cases of Raynaud's phenomenon and we recommend its use in the case of failed medical therapy. Pain rating and capillary microscopy enable one to assess and visualize the effects of spinal cord stimulation.

Serial CT volume measurements after endovascular aortic aneurysm repair.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of transluminal stent-graft placement in aortic aneurysms using postoperative enhanced spiral computed tomographic (CT) volumetric measurements of the aneurysm sac, the intra-aneurysmal vascular channel (IAVC), the thrombus, and the stent-graft. METHODS: Among 53 patients (45 men; mean age 74 years, range 59-85) who underwent elective endovascular aortic aneurysm repair, 37 patients with 27 abdominal and 10 thoracic aortic aneurysms completed at least a 6-month follow-up that included computerized CT volumetric analysis prior to discharge and at 3, 6, 12, 24, and 36 months. A variety of bifurcated (n = 23) and tube (n = 14) stent-grafts were observed for signs of endoleak and aneurysm enlargement. RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 16 months (range 6-48). Total aneurysm volumes and thrombus volumes decreased, whereas IAVC and stent-graft volumes increased over time. Between the postoperative and 12-month imaging studies, reductions in total aneurysm (p 0.011) and thrombus (p < 0.001) volumes were significant. No statistically significant difference in volume changes for the aneurysm sac (p = 0.555) or the thrombus (p = 0.920) was found when comparing the 24 patients without primary leak to the 12 with primary type-II leak. In all 5 cases with secondary leak, the volume of the aneurysm sac increased after initial shrinkage. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative CT volumetric analysis is an effective tool for evaluating the outcome of endovascular aortic aneurysm repair. Thrombus volume measurements are more accurate than total aneurysm volumes. In patients in whom contrast agents are contraindicated, volume measurements can also be obtained without the use of contrast.

[Radiation exposure in single slice and multi-slice spiral CT (a phantom study)]. / Untersuchungen zur Strahlenexposition bei der Einzelschicht- und Mehrschicht-Spiral-CT (eine Phantom-Studie).

PURPOSE: The purpose of study was to compare patient dose applying singleslice- and multislice-spiral CT. METHODS: The examinations were performed with a singleslice-spiral CT (Highspeed Advantage; GE Medical Systems; Milwaukee, USA) and with a multislice CT systems (LightSpeed QX/i GE Medical Systems; Milwaukee, USA). For the determination of the radiation exposure (absorbed dose) a selection of most executed protocols (thorax-helical, abdomen-helical, petrous bone-axial, head-axial) were simulated using an Alderson Rando Phantom. The dose was determined by means of lithiumfluorid-thermoluminiscence dosimeters (TLD-GR 200). RESULTS: For thorax and abdomen protocols higher energy dose values could be found using a multislice CT. On the average the energy dose values were increased by 2.6 on an average in relation to single slice spiral CT. The energy dose values of the multisclice CT using head protocols could be reduced by 30% in relation to single slice spiral CT due to suitable parameter selections. The energy dose applying a petrous bone protocol resulted in an average increase by a factor 1.5 using a multislice CT. CONCLUSION: Using the new multislice CT technique protocol strategies must be optimized regarding the patient doses. Users can operate critically in the sense of the radiation protection only if they are aware of the occurring dose amounts to the patient.

Psychophysical aspects in medical illumination techniques.

The relation between image and visual perception of the human eye is an important point in digital imaging systems. Research aims should therefore pay attention to psychophysical aspects. Optimising of digital imaging systems can only be reached if the important final steps in the diagnostic process--visual perception and signal detection--are taken into account.

[Effectiveness of locoregional rt-PA lysis in acute leg and arm vein thrombosis]. / Wirksamkeit der loko-regionalen rt-PA-Lyse bei Bein- bzw. Armvenenthrombose.

39 patients suffering from a thrombosis of the peripheral venous system were treated with a loco-regional lysis, using rt-PA. Two cycles of 40 mg rt-PA a day were applicated by means of a special drainage-management, using perforans veins. During lytic therapy, 20,000 to 30,000 IE of unfractionized heparin were additionally administered. Laboratory work including aPTT and fibrinogen measurement was performed every 8 hours. Additionally a phlebography was performed after 24 hours. Patients received an anticoagulative therapy using sintrom or marcumar the following 3 months. We obtained a successful thrombolysis without any major complications in 90%. Minor complications included 3 peripheral pulmonary embolisms. Duplex sonographic and plethysmographic follow up was performed in 25 patients one year after operation. In two patients with ankle edema insufficient valves at the popliteal vein were found with both diagnostic modalities. 23 patients showed no signs of insufficient valves neither clinically nor at duplex sonography and plethysmography. The locoregional lysis appears to be an effective method for the treatment of acute peripheral vein thrombosis.

Ruptured false abdominal aortic aneurysm during pregnancy: Caesarean delivery followed by aortic reconstruction.

We describe a case of a successfully treated ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm during pregnancy. The importance of close clinical follow-up after any aortic reconstructions is highlighted.

Treatment of Stanford type B aortic dissection with stent-grafts: preliminary results.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility and safety of endovascular stent-graft placement in treating Stanford type B aortic dissection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven patients underwent endovascular stent-graft placement for type B aortic dissection. Five patients had acute and two had chronic dissection. In five patients, the proximal entry tear was within 2 cm of the origin of the left subclavian artery, and in two patients it was beyond this site. In three patients, the noncovered proximal portion of the stent-graft was placed across the origin of the left subclavian artery. The efficacy of the procedure was assessed at follow-up studies 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after intervention. RESULTS: The procedure was technically and clinically successful in six patients (86%). The left subclavian artery remained patent in all patients. In two patients with involvement of aortic branches, endovascular stent-graft placement restored adequate blood flow to the compromised branches. One patient was readmitted 1 month later because the dissection extended into the ascending aorta. In all but this patient, closure of the entry tear and thrombosis of the false lumen along the stent-graft were achieved. All false lumina shrank considerably. The mean follow-up time was 14 months (range, 1-25 months). CONCLUSION: Type B aortic dissections within and beyond 2 cm of the origin of the left subclavian artery can be treated safely and effectively by means of endovascular stent-graft placement.

Aneurysmal portosystemic venous shunt: a case report.

A case of an aneurysmal portosystemic venous shunt detected by colour Doppler ultrasound (CDUS) is presented. A young female patient complained of postprandial fatigue and had paroxysmal tachycardia. A direct vascular communication between right portal vein and right hepatic vein was found at CDUS and confirmed by direct portal angiogram. Using detachable coils a complete occlusion of the intrahepatic shunt was obtained. Reports from the literature regarding portovenous aneurysms are reviewed.

Treatment of bronchopleural fistula after pneumonectomy by using an omental pedicle.

Dehiscence of the bronchial stump, particularly following pneumonectomy, is one of the most serious complications in lung surgery. Various approaches to this problem have been tried. Two patients with postpneumonectomy bronchopleural fistula were treated successfully by using a pedicle of the greater omentum.